Library of Functions

You should be familiar with the shapes of these

basic functions. We'll learn them in this section.
 n s
t io
nc
Fu
ar
in e Equations that can be
L written f(x) = mx + b

slope y-intercept

The domain of these functions

is all real numbers.
f(x) = 3 f(x) = -1 f(x) = 1

Constant Functions
f(x) = b, where b is a real number
Would constant
The domain of these functions functions be even
is all real numbers. or odd or neither?

The range will only be b

 If you put any real
number in this function,
you get the same real
number “back”.
f(x) = x

Identity Function
f(x) = x, slope 1, y-intercept = 0
Would the identity
function be even
The domain of this function is or odd or neither?
all real numbers.

The range is also all real numbers

 Quadratic Function
f(x) = x2
Would the square
function be even
The domain of this function is or odd or neither?
all real numbers.

The range is
 Cubic Function
f(x) = x3
Would the cube
function be even
The domain of this function is or odd or neither?
all real numbers.

The range is all real numbers

 Square Root Function
Would the square
root function be
The domain of this function is even or odd or
neither?

The range is
 Rational Function
The domain of this function is Would the
all NON-ZERO real numbers. reciprocal function
be even or odd or
neither?

The range is
Absolute Value Function
The domain of this function is Would the
all real numbers. absolute value
function be even
or odd or neither?

The range is
These are functions that are
defined differently on different
parts of the domain.

FU
IS
W

NC
T
IO
NS
Definition:

Piecewise Function –a
function defined by two or
more functions over a
specified domain.
 This means for x’s less than
0, put them in f(x) = -x but for
x’s greater than or equal to
0, put them in f(x) = x2

What
What does
doesthe thegraph
graph
of
of f(x)
f(x) ==-x
x2 look
look like?
like?

Remember
Remember y y== f(x)
f(x) so
so let’s
lets
graph
graph yy== -x2xwhich
whichisisaasquare
line of
slope –1(parabola)
function and y-intercept 0.

Since we are only

supposed to graph this for
xx< 0,
0, we’ll
we’ll stop
only the
keep
graph
the This then is the graph
at x =half
right 0. of the graph. for the piecewise
function given above.
 For
Forxx
For x>=00the
thefunction
values function
between
isvalue
andis0supposed
–3supposed the to
to be
graph
be
line–3
along so
ythe
= 2xplot
line ythe
+ 5. = - 5x.
point (0, -3)

Since you know this the graph

graph is
is aa open dot
piece of a line, you can just plug in since not
"or equal to"
each
0 to see
endwhere
value to to start
get the
the line and
endpoints.
then count af(-3)
– 5 =slope.
-1 and f(0) = 5

So this the graph of solid dot for

the piecewise "or equal to"

function
Evaluating Piecewise Functions:

Evaluating piecewise functions is just like

evaluating functions that you are already
familiar with.
Let’s calculate f(2).
x2 + 1 , x  0
f(x) = x–1, x0
You are being asked to find y when
x = 2. Since 2 is  0, you will only substitute
into the second part of the function.
f(2) = 2 – 1 = 1
Let’s calculate f(-2).
x2 + 1 , x  0
f(x) = x–1, x0
You are being asked to find y when
x = -2. Since -2 is  0, you will only substitute
into the first part of the function.
f(-2) = (-2)2 + 1 = 5
Your turn:

2x + 1, x  0
f(x) = 2x + 2, x  0

Evaluate the following:

f(-2) = -3? f(5) = 12
?
f(0) = 2? f(1) = 4?
One more:

3x - 2, x  -2
f(x) = -x , -2  x  1
x2 – 7x, x  1
Evaluate the following:
f(-2) = 2? f(3) = ?
-12
f(-4) = -14
? f(1) = -6?
 Graphing Piecewise Functions:
x2 + 1 , x  0
f(x) = x–1 , x0

Determine the shapes of the graphs.

Parabola and Line
Determine the boundaries of each graph.
     
  
               

line
Graph the parabola                        

greater
where x is less than
             

         

  
than or equal to
zero.
zero.

 
         
              
         
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                       
 Graphing Piecewise Functions:
3x + 2, x  -2
f(x) = -x , -2  x  1
x2 – 2, x  1
Determine the shapes of the graphs.
Line, Line, Parabola
Determine the boundaries of each graph.
       

               
   
                    
   

                   

  


 

                       
                       
         
              



                       
                       
Odd and Even Functions
A function f is even if
f(x) = f(x) for all x in its domain.
Vertical line of
reflection at x = 0
A function f is odd if
f( x) =  f(x) for all x in its domain.
Point of rotational
symmetry
 Symmetric about the y axis

FUNCTIONS
Symmetric about the origin
Even functions have y-axis Symmetry
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7

So for an even function, for every point (x, y) on

the graph, the point (-x, y) is also on the graph.
Odd functions have origin Symmetry
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7

So for an odd function, for every point (x, y) on the

graph, the point (-x, -y) is also on the graph.
 x-axis Symmetry
We wouldn’t talk about a function with x-axis symmetry
because it wouldn’t BE a function.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-2
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
A function is even if f( -x) = f(x) for every number x in
the domain.

So if you plug a –x into the function and you get the

original function back again it is even.

Is this function even?

YES

Is this function even?

NO
A function is odd if f( -x) = - f(x) for every number x in
the domain.

So if you plug a –x into the function and you get the

negative of the function back again (all terms change signs)
it is odd.

Is this function odd?

NO

Is this function odd?

YES
 If a function is not even or odd we just say neither
(meaning neither even nor odd)

Determine if the following functions are even, odd or

neither.
Not the original and all
terms didn’t change
signs, so NEITHER.

Got f(x) back so

EVEN.